SM's rookie singer apologizes for past dating pictures

SM Entertainment's upcoming rookie boy band Riize's member Seunghan released an apology after photos of him with a presumed former dating partner went viral online. The apology comes a few days after the release online of several pictures showing Seunghan kissing a woman -- including one where they are on a bed. The pictures spread fast, shocking fans, especially as Riize is about to make its long awaited debut on Sept. 4. Riize is the first boy band to debut with SM Entertainment in s

K-popAug. 31, 2023

H1-KEY continues to dream in Seoul, city of opportunities

H1-KEY is back and ready to move people’s hearts with its second mini album “Seoul Dreaming,” filled with songs that sing of hope. “Our second EP is for people who have a dream. We hope to spread hope and comfort through this album,” said Seoi of H1-KEY during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. The new album is led by two title tracks: “Seoul (Such a Beautiful City)” and “Time to Shine.” H1-KEY once again paired up with the renowned mu

K-popAug. 31, 2023

[Herald Interview] Baekho starts digital single project with 'Elevator' remake

Baekho on Thursday unveiled a new single, "Elevator," marking the start to a new musical journey. “Elevator” is a remake of the eponymous 1995 hit by singer-producer J.Y. Park. With its risque lyrics singing about making love in the elevator and spicy performances with female dancers onstage, the song became an instant sensation back in its day. In opening up a new chapter of his career, Baekho picked this song same in age with him. "The feeling I had when I first hear

K-popAug. 31, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids’ Hyunjin teams up with Troye Sivan

Hyunjin of Stray Kids collaborated with Troye Sivan for a remix of the Australian singer’s recent single. Sivan made a comeback with “Rush” last month and posted a snippet on TikTok, hinting that an upcoming rework of the song will feature the idol as well as English singer-songwriter and producer PinkPantheress. Hyunjin and Sivan met at a fashion show hosted by Versace in Cannes, France in May. Sivan has professed his affection for the performer since then, writing and postin

K-popAug. 30, 2023

Indonesian girl group StarBe hopes to win global recognition with the help of K-pop training

Popular Indonesian girl group StarBe will release a Korean-language single in the coming week, following a month of K-pop idol training in South Korea. The quartet — Abelle, Shella, Kezia and Chelsea -- landed in Seoul about a month ago. They were chosen among many other Indonesian pop groups by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) to take part in the cultural exchange project “Grow TwoGether.” The project, launched in 2021 with the Vietnamese boy

K-popAug. 30, 2023

TXT to drop 3rd LP 'The Name Chapter: Freefall' on Oct. 13

Boy band Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT, is returning with a new studio album in October. The band's agency Big Hit Music on Wednesday announced that the quintet will drop its third full-length album "The Name Chapter: Freefall" on Oct. 13. This will mark the team's return to the music scene in nine months since it released its fifth EP "The Name Chapter: Temptation" in January. TXT, which has been telling a dynamic growth story from boyhood to maturity thro

K-popAug. 30, 2023

More than just stans: what sets Korean fandom culture apart

As K-pop’s global reach continues to expand, so has attention on K-pop fan culture. It's common for fans around the world to devote their time and resources to their favorite celebrities, but Korean fans’ expression of their love stands out for the way in which it is more organized and systematic, and often based around communities. “On the way home” One fan phenomenon is named after the Korean expression that literally means “the way home after work,” a

K-popAug. 30, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Twice’ Jihyo hits Billboard 200 at No. 14 with solo EP

Jihyo of Twice entered Billboard 200 at No. 14 with her first solo EP “Zone,” the publication tweeted Monday. It is the second highest spot for a solo female K-pop musician, after only bandmate Nayeon who notched No. 7 spot last year. Separately, Twice will go live at four more stadiums across the world, expand its ongoing international tour to 42 concerts in 25 cities in total, according to label JYP Entertainment on Tuesday. The management firm announced the additional destination

K-popAug. 29, 2023

Hybe x Geffen begins girl group project 'Dream Academy,' unveils 20 finalists

Hybe, the company behind the global K-pop phenomenon BTS, has embarked on its blockbuster girl group project, "The Debut: Dream Academy." Marking the start of the new project, Hybe and its partner on the journey, Geffen Records, held a press conference on Monday at IGA Studios in Santa Monica, California. Hybe founder and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO and Chairman John Janick spoke at the event and addressed the initiative and plans for the project. Al

K-popAug. 29, 2023

FT Island to release new album next month

FT Island is returning to the music scene next month with a new album. The band’s last release was its eighth EP, “Lock Up,” in December 2021. The band unveiled a teaser clip of its upcoming ninth EP on social media on Monday. The teaser clip for the album scheduled for release on Sep. 7 shows the band performing in a living room. It also casts a spotlight on the performance of the three members of the band -- lead vocalist Lee Hong-gi, bassist Lee Jae-jin and drummer Choi Min

K-popAug. 29, 2023

Hwasa to return solo next month

Hwasa is set to release a new solo album next month with a concept that will highlight another aspect of herself as a singer. P Nation unveiled a teaser image for Hwasa’s upcoming album on social media Tuesday, showing Hwasa surrounded by pink balloons in the shape of various letters of the alphabet. This solo comeback scheduled for Sept. 6 comes two years after Hwasa’s single “Guilty Pleasure.” The upcoming album is also Hwasa’s first release under the new agency,

K-popAug. 29, 2023

Court denies Fifty Fifty's injunction request to suspend contract with agency

A Seoul court rejected Monday an injunction request by K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty to suspend the effectiveness of its contract with its agency. The Seoul Central District Court denied the request the group filed on June 19, claiming the company, Attrakt, failed to fulfill its contractual obligations, such as providing financial documents and caring for their health. The court attempted to mediate a settlement between the two sides on Aug. 9 but failed. Earlier Monday, the group's legal re

K-popAug. 28, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] NCT127 to return in October with 5th LP

NCT127 will return on Oct. 6 with a fifth full-length album, according to SM Entertainment on Sunday. The nine-piece subunit shared the news that it is bringing out a new album at the full-group concert on Saturday. “It will be of a huge scale,” said Taeyong after unveiling a teaser clip to the audience, and the LP “will be the epitome of NCT127,” added Jungwoo. The upcoming LP is titled “Fact Check,” and comes about nine months since “Ay-Yo,” a r

K-popAug. 28, 2023

Twice’s Jihyo becomes half-million seller with 1st EP ‘Zone’

Twice’s Jihyo became a half-million seller with her solo debut album “Zone” in just a week since its release on Aug. 18. As of last Thursday, a total of 534,565 copies of the EP “Zone” were sold, according to local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart on Monday. This makes "Zone" the highest-selling mini album by a K-pop female soloist in the first week of its release. Her album and its title track “Killin’ Me Good” is currently thriving on t

K-popAug. 28, 2023

Kara’s Hur Youngji to debut solo with single ‘Toi Toi Toi’ next month

Second-generation K-pop girl group Kara’s youngest member, Hur Youngji, is making her debut as a solo artist with a single album next month. The artist announced her solo debut with a teaser poster of her upcoming single album, “Toi Toi Toi,” on social media, according to DSP Media on Monday. The title of her first single album, "Toi Toi Toi," which drops on Sept. 12, comes from the expression used in the performing arts industry, derived from German, to wish an artis

K-popAug. 28, 2023

BTS' V releases 3 songs ahead of solo debut

BTS' V on Monday released a series of songs ahead of his solo debut, scheduled for early September. At 1 p.m. on Monday, the singer put out three self-made songs -- "Scenery," "Winter Bear" and "Snow Flower" -- all of which he had previously unveiled for free streaming. The song releases come as V gears up to drop his first solo EP, "Layover," on Sept. 8. V released "Scenery" in January 2019 for free download on SoundCloud. He composed and p

K-popAug. 28, 2023

Hybe to launch girl group audition project in the US

South Korea's Hybe and Universal Music Group affiliate Geffen Records are embarking on a global girl group project together, Tuesday. Hybe, the company behind global K-pop phenomenon BTS, on Monday in Korea announced it is set to hold a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon there to unveil its global girl group audition project called "The Debut: Dream Academy." The event will give a first look into the long-awaited female pop group project that the two companies hav

K-popAug. 28, 2023

BTS Jungkook's 'Seven' third most-streamed song on Spotify this summer

BTS member Jungkook's debut solo single, "Seven," became the third most-streamed song of the summer on the global streaming platform Spotify, his agency said Saturday. "Seven" was ranked only behind "Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma at No. 1 and Bad Bunny's "Where She Goes" on Spotify's "most-streamed songs of the summer" list, BigHit Music said. Jungkook achieved the feat in only about 40 days following the releas

K-popAug. 26, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Overexcited fan grabs BTS’ V in Japan

    An overexcited fan grabbed BTS member V by his hair in Tokyo on Wednesday, according to media reports. The singer was visiting the newly renovated flagship store of Celine in Omotesando as the global ambassador of the French house. It was first time in about four years since the artist visited the Japanese capital. He greeted fans who had gathered on the street, waving and even giving high fives. While he was trying to get in the vehicle to leave, a woman reached out and grabb

K-popAug. 25, 2023

DKB hopes to reach global audiences with English single 'All yours'

K-pop boy band DKB hopes to expand its reach beyond Korea's borders with the help of its latest English-language single, according to Brave Entertainment. DKB released its sixth mini album repackage, “We Love You,” on Aug. 14 which is led by two title tracks, “All yours” and “Told You.” The single, “All yours,” which garnered love from many foreign fans, is the group’s first song released completely in English. “We wanted to give b

K-popAug. 25, 2023